Air Traffic Controllers Union Leaders Warn That The Government Shutdown Will Pose Major Safety Risks

As if the government shutdown hasn’t adversely affected enough American’s livelihoods, now it seems flights are at risk, as well. Hope no one had vacation plans or expected any packages soon because major delays are imminent if the shutdown continues.

Paul Rinaldi, the President of the Air Traffic Controllers Association, appeared on CNN’s “Cuomo Prime Time” and spoke with Chris Cuomo about the major issues occurring within the air traffic controller sector and how the government shutdown is directly affecting its operations. 

Rinaldi said he has noticed an influx of air traffic workers making “routine mistakes” due to high levels of stress caused by the shutdown, which has continued past 30 days. He stated, “The biggest toll I have right now is the human toll, the fatigue in my work environment right now where I’m seeing routine mistakes because they’re thinking about which credit cards can I consolidate up for zero interest?”

What’s even more nerve-racking, Rinaldi pointed out the growing equipment concerns caused by staff shortages at air traffic control facilities. He said, “Our equipment is not being fixed. Equipment that we’re relying on to make sure that planes line up on the right surface that they’re supposed to land on…equipment like being able to relay to the pilot that dangerous weather is ahead.”

He continued, “Such equipment failures are already happening. Radars have gone down. They’re not being brought up. That’s how we get information from the radar systems. This is a deep concern, and it can’t go on for months.”

Rinaldi joined the presidents of two other aviation unions, the Air Line Pilots Association and the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, and issued a statement pleading with Congress and the White House to fund the government due to “unprecedented” risks to the air safety environment. The statement read, “In our risk-averse industry, we cannot even calculate the level of risk currently at play, nor predict the point at which the entire system will break.”

Air traffic controllers in the United States have been working without pay since the partial government shutdown began on December 22nd and are considered essential employees within the FAA, according to #CNN.